The Silhouette
by fishiee
Summary: "Cold hands is all I've ever known. White rooms and hospital beds, needles and medicine and doctors and pain painpainpain."
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

**Cold hands is all I've ever known. White rooms and hospital beds, needles and medicine and doctors and pain painpainpain.** I was conceived the normal way, I grew in my mother's womb the normal way, till the day my mother decided to sign me over to be a lab rat. When I asked why, they gave me a pitied look and said they didn't know. But they knew. They knew.

I was allowed to ask questions before the pain started, because I didn't know what questions to ask. They told me I was going to be special and I smiled, at the thought of it. I wanted to be special. I imagined being pretty like a princess or having soft little wings like fairies, that I saw in the books they gave me. That was before the pain started. When I thought their smiles were warm and caring, because that's all I knew. But when the shot after shot and cup after cup of medicine started and my body started changing, I learned what questions to ask. I was 5. Their smiles turned cold and I lost my books about princesses and fairies. I lost everything.

They've cut me open, unconscious and not, gave me medicine in the form of shots, liquids, and pills, beat, suffocated, drowned, tortured, and trained me. To see how far they can go before they kill me.

Well. I'm almost there. But thanks to all this, I can: pick up heavy things, read minds, see through things, hear really good, use a gun, fight, and kill, all by control, and God knows what else they haven't trained me in.

I don't know how they do it, how they give me these powers. _How_ and _Why _where possibly my first right questions and that's when they started giving me medicine to make me… forget. But thanks to the crap they've load me up with, it eventually goes away. They're working on fixing it, but it's been a setback for a while now.

This particular room is safe. I sit in the corner of my room, my knees to my forehead. My mental powers are turned off here. My mind is quiet with nothing but my thoughts. When my eyes are open, I see nothing but my perfectly white room. My moments in here are bliss, when my mind doesn't have to scream Evelyn so I remember who I am with everyone's voices in my head or I don't think so hard and look into the next room, and doing everything at once gives me a mind-splitting headache.

It ends too quickly. My door makes a clicking noise as it opens and in steps doctors in whitecoats to take me away again.

"Evelyn?" a voice asks softly, soothing. One of them.

Only, they're not one of _them,_ my doctors. I look up and meet the brown eyes of a tan face and they're not my doctors. I swallowed, torn between relief and terror. Who are they? Hallucinations, new doctors?

"Evelyn, we're not here to hurt you." He says, in the same soothing tone. Low, careful. I'm not sure it's working. He takes a step in, hands up in a surrender pose. "My name is Bruce. We're here to get you out."


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey, I thought I'd just give a quick comment so I'm not leaving anyone wondering. My goal was to post a chapter a week, but working to jobs made that kind of hard. But one of those jobs just seriously cut my hours, so now I will have more time… More will definitely come, though. And I didn't expect for this to become so deep either. ;)**

CHAPTER ONE

All I heard was OUT and with no hesitation, I got up swiftly and darted over there. The two of them took a step back, startled, and I stopped short.

"Take it easy." Bruce whispered. I looked up and studied them. The blonde blue eyed guy tensed at my gaze, but the tan one -Bruce- had a nearly infuriatingly calmness radiating off him. I took my eyes up to his dark brown, imploringly. "I-"

But he was cut off by a one of the nurses behind him, "Guys, we don't have much time." My head swung to him and my eyes widened in surprised. He smiled at me, and I thought back to the only act of compassion I ever got from these people, from him, when he first came:

_I curled up, pulling my knees to my chest. I gently rocked myself, as if trying to shake off the pain shooting up and down my arms and legs._

"_Take her back", commanded the voice of Dr. Henders. _

_When the bed jerked, I opened my eyes for a brief second and a man I hadn't seen before was staring at me with a pale face. I closed my eyes again. _

_They lifted me from the testing bed and into the one permanently in my room. Not a word was said, but when the other nurse turned around, the new one placed a hand on my shoulder. _

_For one quick moment, I felt hope surge through me._

"C'mon, Evelyn." The nurse said, reaching out his hand. I looked at it, confused. "Take it."

I stuck mine out and he grabbed it, immediately pulling me along. Bruce and the blonde boy followed silently behind. Every piece of my body was on alert. My hand burned, but in an entirely good way. This man is the only person to ever touch me without the intent of hurting me.

I was so focused on him, that it really shouldn't of startled me when his voice popped in my head. _Any second they could be here. Any second. We need to get her out. Oh God, please don't come. Hurryhurryhurry._

They took me down halls and halls before pushing me into a dark room. I bulked as memories of dark rooms and tests flashed through my mind.

"No nononono. No more!" I moaned. I tried backing up, but Bruce grabbed my waist.

"Evelyn, we're not going to hurt you. I promise. Look around. Let your eyes adjust. There's a window." He spoke into my ear softly, and in a fluent motion, I did. The room is long and rectangular with desks, like an office building. There was a big window to the left.

"We're at the back of the building. Mason messed with the cameras. They won't see us." Bruce continued in a whisper.

I let him guide me to the window, his hands burning me just the same as the nurses. His voice bursted in my head, _what have they done to her to make her like this. What have they done._

I laughed bitterly and uttered my first words to him, "What haven't they done?"

Bruce stiffened all around me with a soft gasp. _She just… did she just…._

"Yeah. Finally broke through your calm." I answered his silent question. My voice was low and somewhat hoarse. Very rarely do I get the chance to speak. More so I get the chance to scream.

He dropped his arms. "Mason." The nurse turned to us, he was fiddling with the window.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm almost done." With a snap, the window popped open. "Got it! Let's go."

Mason –oh to have a name!- stepped over the sill and into the bushes outside. He held out his hand again. "Evelyn, you next."

I took his hand and he helped me out. Blonde boy came next, then Bruce.

It took me a second to realize where I was. Bushes. I shifted my feet in the soft ground. Dirt. The air was cold and covered my skin like a blanket. My head bolted up to the sky- the black endless star covered sky.

"Down!" Mason hissed and we ducked. Two men in black and huge guns round the corner. I held my breath, though all I wanted to do was suck in all the air in the world.

The men left and Mason whispered, "Go!" We started running to the woods –the trees, the grass; oh they were so beautiful. I stayed behind Bruce, though I knew I could run faster. After a couple minutes, an alarm went off, and all the air was stolen away from me.

"They're going to get me!" I gasped, my hand grabbing Bruce's arm.

The blonde guy behind me finally spoke, "Ma'am, don't worry. We are getting you out."

"Not too much farther." Mason put in.

"Evelyn," Bruce started in his calm voice, "We are here to protect you. We're the-the good guys."

"Here!" Mason cried, as a rope ladder dropped down. "Evelyn, you go first."

I looked at him helplessly. "Trust us." He said, peering deep in my eyes. A desperate cry escaped me and I started to climb. The three of them followed suit and then the ladder started pulling itself up. Brown hands pulled me up, but I collapsed on the floor.

"Evelyn." My head shot up to the eyes of the commanding voice. Or rather… eye. There was a leather patch over the left one. Bruce, Mason, and the other man made it over the hole in the floor and it closed up.

"I'm Nick Fury. I'm with S.H.I.E.L.D., and part of the Avenger's team just saved your life."


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

I stared up at the man—Nick Fury. The air in the room made me feel like I should say something, show some gratitude, or something, and don't get me wrong, I'm happy that with each second we're moving farther and farther from hell of a place. But forgive me in praying I didn't end up in another hell hole, just with different names in charge.

I looked away from him and to the 'part of the Avenger's team' that helped me escape. I think back to Mason's and Bruce's thoughts, how they truly seemed concerned. Whatever feeling I got off of Fury wasn't the same as these guys.

"Thank you." I said to them. They genuinely seem like good souls. Then again, I thought the same thing before… I try to shake that thought out of my head. Unbiddingly, a memory floats through my mind:

_I sat cross-legged on the rug. My eyes wide, taking every moment of Beauty and the Beast. I particularly liked the fairytales. Even at my age of 6, I daydreamed about finding a prince and having happy endings. Oh the irony._

"_Evelyn, sweetie, it's time to take your medicine." The tall dark hair nurse said, putting her hand on my arm softly. I looked over at her and smiled, she was so pretty. I imagined she was Snow White. She was always so gentle. She took my hand and pulled me into another white room, where I sat on a bed. _

_But instead of bubble gum flavored liquid "medicine", I got medicine though a long needle that burned every inch of my body and made me convulse in pain for nearly two days._

"Evelyn? Evelyn," My name broke through my thoughts. I focused again, "I'll show you to your room." The blonde guy said to me. I think I missed something, from the silence in the room. I followed him without a word.

"I'm Steve, by the way. I don't-" He started, but unfortunately brushed against my arm and I, still thinking about the needle, flinched away. I hit the wall with all my breath stolen away from me. It cracked, but I didn't go through. I closed my eyes, trying to block the wide eyed Steve standing in front of me.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He apologized repeatedly, and a cry escaped me. I wanted to trust these people, I want them to be different. But how do I ever know? How can I trust anybody ever again when I had trusted before and they turned me into _this_? A mind reading, see through things, super hearing, mega strength freak.

"Are you really?" I asked, my voice shaking. I focused in on him, and his thoughts flew through my mind, _What did I do? am I what-? _But I think he said the last question too.

"The 'good guys'. Are you going to use me? Am I going to become a weapon? WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?" I screamed the last question, opening my eyes. His clear blue eyes held my eyes, held my question. _I sure hope they don't_, he thought.

"What?" I said, to his silent words.

"You can…" He mumbled, to himself. Then he nodded. "We're not that much different." Steve swallowed, unsure how to continue on. _I have mega strength and super hearing. I was a sick, weak boy before they changed me. I think for the most part, they are the good guys, but I really don't know either. How do I get her to believe me? _His thoughts were a jumbled mess and it made me relax a little.

I straightened up and said, "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak out like that. I just… I was just remembering something, and you startled me. And I don't know any of you. I don't know what you're going to do to me." I looked away, embarrassed by the emotion in my voice.

"Hey, trust me, I understand. I can't read minds, but I- well. Believe it or not, I'm actually 92 years old. I'm an experiment gone right and people were killed for it. Sometimes I…" Steve trailed off, but I heard it the same, _wonder if it did more good than bad _and an image of a man with a small mop of brown hair and dark eyes, though somewhat cloudy, ran through his mind.

Then his eyes caught mine, almost angrily. "I can see it in your eyes. You're reading my mind. How… just how?" He demanded. I blushed and tried to break the connection. It _can_ be done, but it was really hard to me. I never really got that down pat, maybe because it wasn't the most pleasant of feelings. Though for Steve, I tried anyways.

I turned my eyes to the ground and focused on what it is that's in my head that makes it happened and forced a sharp snap to it. Pain erupted in my head and I gasped.

"Hey, hey, what…" He started, but I looked back up at him quickly, before I had to turn away.

"I'm out. I can get out, but I'm barely hanging on since I'm talking to you. It happens when I… focus on a person, when they have strong thoughts."

"It wasn't, it wasn't that… I don't want to hurt you." Steve sputtered.

I shook my head. "I don't want to hurt _you_." I could hear his breath intake, that he was at lost for words. I laughed inwardly, I can read people without reading their minds. "To answer your question… well. I don't know if you'll believe me. I'm not sure I believe it, but I eventually learned they were using," I hesitated here, because I really didn't know what they used, "Alien… parts. And power."

He laughed, bitterly. "Oh trust me, I believe you."

My head jerked to him. "What?"

"A… _friend_ of mine, a coworker in this Avenger's thing, well. He's Thor." He looked at me for recognition, but this particular name didn't register. Maybe because I wasn't trying to think. "He's a god in Norse mythology." I nodded, though I didn't exactly understand. "He's from 'out there', an alien. There are other worlds out there with living, breathing creatures." He finished with a breath, like he didn't quite believe it himself yet.

"Wow." I said, and I really was speechless.

"Well, listen. I was taking you to a room where you could freshen up, relax, I don't know, do what you wanted to do. Then Bruce wanted to see you. He… honestly just wants to help you out. He's an experiment gone _wrong_ sometimes. And if aliens are involved, maybe we can get Thor over to help you." Steve paused for a moment. "Have you heard of superheroes?"

I nodded, looking at the wall.

"That's what we are. S.H.I.E.L.D… well, they really try to be the good guys, but sometimes they have to make hard decisions that make them seem bad, because they're not just thinking of a few people. They're thinking of the whole planet."

I tried to shove what was being said into my mind, so I could think about it later. I stayed quiet, and he was quiet. Steve continued on walking like nothing just happened. I followed him to a room with a bed and dresser. With tan walls.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N – Oops! It was pointed out that I said Greek, instead of Norse, mythology, pertaining to where Thor's from. Total accident! The actor of Percy Jackson was on my TV and it must have just slipped out… I've edited it now, but in case you saw it or whatnot :) **

CHAPTER THREE

Steve quickly told me I was free to use the shower, that the phone by my bed would help me if I needed it, and if I'd tell him my size, he'd get me new clothes. I guess this is the point where I mention I'm wearing a white hospital gown and I want to get out of it terribly. But…

"The thing is… this," I motioned to what I was wearing, "has been basically what I've worn since I was 6. No sizing, really. I'd take whatever you give me, though, and be happy with it."

"Okay… I'll say that. I think- there's girl here in the Avenger's, and we're going to send her out. She won't be too happy, but, she'll get it right, I'm sure." He chuckled. "She's a trained assassin, spy, the whole nine yards, and it'd be shameful if she couldn't pick out some clothes."

I nodded, but really I just wanted him to leave. I wanted to respect his wishes on the whole mind reading thing, but it was just hard. I'm not sure how I can even function in this state, but maybe that whole alien thing going on me helps.

"And don't worry, for the time being you're safe. And after that, I'll make sure you are." Steve said, looking straight in my eyes. _I will protect her _fluttered through my mind and I broke eye contact. "Don't try to stop, it's okay." He added, before leaving me be.

I felt like to relax my brain, I had to I close my eyes and imagine muscles. Then I relaxed each of them till I was fully back, and that's when I collapsed on my bed, dead to the world.

* * *

I woke up, flinching in my bed. I feel more rested than I've ever been, though nightmares plagued me during my sleep. I hope I didn't scream… they don't like it when I scream. I lay there, defeated. Waiting for the nurses to come wheel me away to some other "procedure" because nothing is ever good enough for them.

I tried to relax in my last few moments of sanity, and then there was a knock at my door.

Which was strange because they never knock at my door. I opened my eyes and jerked straight up. Tan walls. I looked around and noticed I was on a light yellow comforter. I grabbed it and felt the soft, think fabric. My night came back in a whoosh.

There was another set knocks, then the door opened and a red head peered in.

"I've got you new—you okay?" She questioned me, eyebrow raised. I saw what I looked like in her eyes, sitting on my knees, clutching the blanket, looking half crazed over the thought of a soft comforter. But hey, I had thin scratchy sheets at the hospital. Then she thought, _I've seen weirder_.

"Yeah." I answered, untangling the blanket from me and standing up. She walked—if you could call it that. It was like she glided in, it was graceful- fully in and dropped two bags on the floor.

"I could kill you with any type of object, but I'm no fashion expert. You can go out later and get something if they don't fit." She had a smooth voice that made everything sound right, even when she was kind of threatening you.

"I can go… out?" I breathed, eyes wide.

"At some point, yeah. We not prisoners here…" She trailed off, then added, "But Bruce and Tony are really excited to see you. Geeks." She rolled her eyes. Trained assassin, spy, the whole nine yards, I thought, remembering Steve's words. But she seemed entirely pleasant to me.

"What… are they going to do to me?" I asked nervously, though I crouched down to look through the bags. I thought back to the calm spirit Bruce had, or I'd be breaking down walls to get out. I remembered back to when Mason arrived and showed me my first act of kindness. He wasn't ice like the other people there. They were frozen on the inside. All they were was cold.

"Nothing _bad_, if that's what you're getting at. I'm sure you'll be informed on our situation soon enough." She answered, nonchalantly. "When you're ready, use the phone, and you'll meet with Tony and Bruce. But do it on the sooner side, or someone will be sent down to take you. Because there's a lot to do and everybody's insanely busy and we need to know what your plans are." She concluded, and walked out without another word.

I ended up dumping the bag on the bed, lost in thought. _We need to know what your plans are_. It rang around in my mind. It was like I actually had a choice. I was very interested in making my first decision.

There was everything I could possibly need—shirts, dresses, skirts, pants, shoes, underclothes, brushes, socks. I've never had such selection in my whole entire life. I think I spent a full 20 just staring, before pulling out things that caught my eye.

I went to shower, turned it warm, and nearly expected someone to jump in and take all these stuff away from me. But they didn't. And I spent a 15 whole minutes in the shower. Bliss.

About an hour had passed since the red head girl came in. Fully dressed in a pair of Converses, tank top with a flannel shirt over it, and the tightest jeans I've ever seen. I found a magazine that belonged to a nurse once. I was 13.

_The magazine fell out of her pocket of her scrubs. I lay in my bed with my arms and legs stretched out. They still ached from the day before, when they tested how far I can drop down. They don't really care about killing me. If they hadn't injected thick black liquid into me a few days before, I wouldn't of survived. But I pushed through the pain to get up and I grabbed the magazine. _

_I fell back to my bed and looked at the cover. Hugh Jackman, Sexiest Man Alive. I touched his stubbled face and looked into his brown eyes. _Celebrity_. I've never seen one, but the women nurses sometimes talk about how handsome one is. This guy is, I decided, but I only had the people here to compare to. Then I opened the first page. It was an, but so colorful and beautiful. I turned the next page. My eyes took in all could before I turned it again and again. And then I heard the soft padding of someone walking to my door. I panicked and threw it under my bed. My chest heaving, she came back in, and went straight to where I threw the magazine. I cringed at the cold look she gave me, before she rolled me out of the room. They never talked to me. _

_I was brought to a room filled with people in red suits. I followed one of them to the back and he left me. Then a clear wall came down , trapping me in. I could only scream my throat raw as they tested me on how much heat I could withstand. But just because I didn't burn down into a puddle didn't mean it didn't burn me. _

I stood there frozen, as the memory played in my mind. The only thing I knew about clothes came from that magazine. The phone by my bed rang and I shook the memory free. I hesitated before answering it, as I have never done it before, just watched.

"Hello?" a voice on the other end said. It was deep and statically, a male.

"Y-yes?" I answered shakily.

"Evelyn? Oh good. We were just wondering if we could talk to you. It's Bruce."

"S-sure." I stuttered.

"Good. I'll come down and get you." He said kindly, and I heard a click. I put down the phone and tried to breath. _They're giving me choices. They gave me clothes. They will let me go. _I told myself over and over. I couldn't stop second guessing my decision to trust them.

There was a knock at my door. I went to open it, because really, this was the only choice I had.


	5. Chapter 4

**13 FOLLOWS YOU GUYS! That's a record for me. Thank you so much!**

**So you know when you write a chapter in your head when you're in the shower and it's amazing, and then when you go to ACTUALLY write it, you forget half of it? Yeah, that happened. -_- **

**Well, I hope you like it! Though it was rather difficult to write… Review and let me know! It honestly makes my heart skip a beat when I see one ;)**

CHAPTER FOUR

My heart was in my throat when the door opened to reveal Bruce. I tried to channel his calm, but it wasn't exactly working. _Oh wow, she's all cleaned up_, he thought, feeling somewhat impressed. I blushed, and I saw it dawn on his face that I heard him. He looked away. I fixed my eyes on the floor, hoping he wouldn't ask me to stop as Steve did yesterday.

"Hey. Have a good night? You look rested." He greeted me, acting like he hadn't thought anything I heard, though his voice went through my mind, _how do I filter my thoughts?, _ at the same time he started back down the hall. He glanced back at me and I followed.

"I… definitely slept longer than normal." I tried to dodge the question, because while I slept longer, it was just that much more of nightmares. But I did feel more rested than normal. They weren't like I'm-in-hell-with-no-hope type of nightmare. More like, I'm-with-these-new-people-and-suddenly-they-morph- into-my-old-people-and-things-go-back-exactly-as-t hey-were nightmare. I paused before adding, "I don't know an answer to that. I'm sorry."

Bruce ran his hand through his graying hair. "Don't worry about it. I was more worried for your sake than mine." He smiled, though I heard his uneasiness about the whole thing. Atleast he was trying to comfort me.

There was silence after that, but it was an easy one. I followed him through the doors to a room that only looked slightly different that the room I used to be tested in. I automatically tensed up, but I managed to force myself to walk in the room.

A tall man with a mess of hair was already in there. "Evelyn, Tony. Tony, Evelyn." Bruce quickly introduced.

"Yes, Tony, as in Tony Stark." The man boasted, though I had no idea who that was. Tony waited for the recognition, and when it didn't, he muttered, "Darn. All right, let me tell you about myself. I'm -"

"To make matters quick, he's a bastard." Bruce cut him off and gestured for me to sit in a chair.

"Hey now, that's not nice." Tony responded, clutching his heart as if Bruce truly hurt him. I think if I wasn't slowing inching into a panic attack, I would have rolled my eyes. As it was, I was wringing my hands and staring at the ground, trying to remember a breath goes IN then OUT.

I felt his eyes on me before he thought, _she's nearly as hot as Pepper_, and even in my state, my face immediately turned as red as a pepper.

"Tony?" Bruce said.

"Yeah?" Tony answered.

"She reads minds."

"Oh." Then an excited voice popped in my head, _Oh crap, are you reading my mind right now? Hiiiiii!_

I snorted, looking up at him, my fears momentary forgotten. "You bet I can hear you. Hi, Tony." I replied, rather amused.

Bruce looked between us. _Pepper's alive and well and breathing, and he still flirts with whomever. _Then he takes a deep breath, before his eyes cut to mine, as he just realized I heard him.

"I see why you were worried for my sake." I joked. He gave me a slight smile, which grew bigger at Tony's confused look.

"All right, all right. We have more important matters at hand." Bruce started, worry evident on his face. Tony and him locked eyes, trying to decide something as if _they_ were the ones who could read minds. _How do we tell her_ and _should we figure her out first? _ran through my mind.

"First, let's talk about you, Evelyn." Tony suggested. _Figure her out_ echoed in my mind. Figure me out… They weren't any different. Oh God.

"Oh you actually want to talk about someone other than yourself?" Bruce retorted, though he agreed with the idea. Oh God.

They hadn't realized yet that my heart was back in my throat and I've forgotten how to breathe.

Tony opened his mouth to say something, no doubt witty, back, but Bruce cut him off again, "We wanted to hear your side of the story. Maybe take some blood, MRI, x-ray," He gestured to the equipment, "to see what's really going on inside you—oh hey, are you all right?" He eyed me warily, as I gasped irregularly for breath. My eyes found the needle laying on a tray. My hands got tingly and I think my heart was about to break my ribs, they were being pounded so hard.

_Howshouldwetellhershouldwefigureheroutfirst_

"Figure me out?" My voice barely a whisper, wide eyes fixated on the needle. I was lost for a moment, lost in all the times as I watched in horror as they squeezed thick, burning contents into me. They followed my eyes to the table.

Everything was dead silent.

"You're going to test on me- you're going to… YOU'RE NO DIFFERENT!" I screeched, shattering it. Bruce mentally cursed himself very loud.

"Damn." Tony actually muttered. But it sounded so far away… He looked at Bruce, and added, "Oh dear.", as he was looking unnaturally green. I couldn't stop to second guess it, I couldn't guess anything, or think, or even breath for that matter.

"Didn't think… I'd realize, huh? Didn't-didn't…" I gasped. What do I… what do I do _now_? "You're no different than _them_!" I suddenly screamed again, my voice shaking with fear and anger. As these feelings grew, I felt much farther away. As if I was watching myself, and not _actually_ myself.

It was like I watched myself let out a shout and kicked over the chair. I watched it, as it flew and stabbed the wall. I watched myself- Evelyn, I watched Evelyn push the blasted table, hitting Tony in the legs, and knocking him over. Evelyn shoved the stupid hospital bed, pining Bruce to the wall, before running out the way they came. And they didn't even have time to blink.

Evelyn heard an angry roar, but it motivated her to run faster.

It took seconds before an alarm went over and just a little bit more before the halls were filled with men in black, armed with massive guns. As if guns could do any real damage.

_The thing about fighting with her, is that she knows what you're going to do before you've done it._ Their minds were screaming their plans. Evelyn was always a few seconds ahead.

_But the thing with fighting with them, is that they actually have guns that hurt her. _I watched the man's faces as they shot her legs, and Evelyn gasped in pain. Her concentration broken, their thoughts quickly overpowered and they were able to get closer to but she didn't like being surrounded.

She

didn't

like

it

They didn't know what hit them.

She bolted through, screaming; so fast, so hard, that if they hadn't been hit by her, they flinched away instinctively. She kept going, she kept running, she kept taking people down. She just kept going and going till she made turned the corner and ran into an empty hall.

And there was _silence_. Evelyn stopped short._ I couldn't hear my own voice inside my head_. She looked around, as if trying to remember something, and then suddenly, everything came back in a whoosh. I felt my chest jerking up and down, trying to catch my breath, and I replayed what just happened through Evelyn's eyes—through my eyes, I realized with horror.

A man walked in the hall, but I barely registered it. My mind wanted to overpower me in a memory, but Ididn'twantto-

_Oh God nonono I hear they're coming again I can'tdothis _

_Terror rose in me and quickly overtaking me, as if pushing me out and I felt-_

"I am Thor, prince of Asgard." The voice broke me away. The man was impassive, massive in size, and had a hammer in his hand. His blue eyes held me frozen.

_Alien_, my mind whispered to me, remembering Steve's words. My eyes took him in—his golden locks, to the muscles bulging under his shirt, to the way he stood. You could see he wasn't of this world just by the way he stood. He was quite frightening. But the most mindboggling thing was, is that there are no voices coming from him in my head. Just me. It's just me right now.

I realized his mouth was moving, but I was so caught up in the fact I could hear myself think with another present in the room.

"I only hear me." I stated, touching my head. I couldn't fathom—I hated it, my unpurposeful intrusion of privacy, but to not have it there. It was like, a piece of me was missing.

Thor paused a moment, possibly I interrupted him in midsentence, before he smiled humorlessly, "You think you're the only one to read minds? I've met many. We _train_ for this."

Everything was just quiet for a second and I nearly savored it, thinking I could get over this piece of me gone—I was broken like a puzzle anyways, and having already losing some, what's one more piece?

The prince stared at me, almost sadly, and it was then I realized I'd forgotten something more than not having thoughts in my… "episode". I forgot to _feel_, to feel compassion; to not be a monster. I felt horrified again to think I could have killed someone… _again_.

My huge eyes met Thor's. "Did I…" I couldn't even finish the sentence. _Did I hurt anybody? Did I kill…? _

Before he could answer, I ran back to the previous hall. I let out a cry at all the fallen bodies. I sensed the standing agents rather than saw them, my eyes only could see the lifeless bodies.

I fell to my knees at the one nearest to me. I wept uncontrollably, my tears falling on the face—I couldn't tell male or female through my blurred vision.

Not again, I swore, I won't let this happen again.

I wish I could take back, this whole ordeal. Maybe I do deserve the testing. Maybe I am a monster, a freak of nature. I deserved to be poked and prodded and tortured for all the lost lives I've caused.

Innocent or not, I wish I could take it back. I cried harder, I cried like I've never cried before. Though I have, long long ago. I wish I could take it back, _I wish…_

There was then a blinding light; it connected the two of us. I felt a tug, a soft burning, starting from my chest. Something was being pulled from me. Something was sucking up all my vision, all my pain, all I knew, turning everything black and cold and soundless.


	6. Chapter 5

_**12 reviews, 15 follows!? That's insane. I can't get over it, it's the most I've ever had in one of my stories! Thank you so so so much, I love you guys! I was actually going to work on my other story, but this chapter has taken up a lot of my thought, so I broke down. It was suppose to come sooner, but I got sick with bronchitis. It's rather hard to write when you're coughing up your lungs every two seconds, but I finally got it done! I hope you like it, let me know!**_

* * *

CHAPTER FIVE  


_Oh God nonono I hear they're coming again I can'tdothis no more pain nonono_

_Terror rose in me, and quickly overtaking me, as if pushing me out and I didn't feel like myself. Like I wasn't in me. I was watching this girl Evelyn desperately try to find a way out, not wanting to feel pain, but wanting to feel breath. To feel her move her arms or her heart pound. Instead of overwhelming pain. _

_So when they came to take her away, she fought. With all that's in her and they gave her and they taught her. She used it all and suddenly the people that caused her the most pain, where in pain, and by Evelyn's hand! Not that she could enjoy this moment, all she could think about was being free._

_Slowly the halls she ran through got emptier and emptier, and the people that were there were scared to fight her. Evelyn's paced slowed down when she entered an empty path. _

She's almost there_, I thought, watching the girl, _she has to be_. There was a door at the end of the hall. Evelyn reached out and put her hand the knob. _

_"Monster." The word caused more pain than anything they've done to her there. _Monster_. Suddenly the cold knob stung her hand and I… I jerked back into my body again. I looked down at my hand on the doorknob, all I had to do was turn it. _

_"You're a monster, Evelyn. Murdered all those people." That caught me again and I spun around to the voice. Dr. Henders, the head of this whole 'project', and a few nurses on either side, stood there, glaring at me with such disgust. _

_"Maybe that's why you aren't out there. You aren't free. You don't deserve to be. You're a monster, a murderer. And that was proof." He said it, nearly calm, matter of fact._

_My hand dropped from the knob and tears blurred my vision, before slowing dripping down my face. My eyes filled back up as Dr. Hender's came at me with a needle, but I didn't fight. No. No more would people die because of me. Before my tears could fall again, my vision blurred violently, and the lives I just took came back and stared at me with such hatred, and one by one, they came towards me and tried to kill me. Hurt me so bad that I begged for someone to actually follow through, but none did. No one could kill me. Why would I be rewarded with death when it is what I wanted? _

* * *

Tears leaked out of my shut eyes, as the flashback ended, as I slowly regained consciousness. Every inch of my body ached and it took everything in me to open my eyelids. All I could see was white before I had to shut my eyes again.

"What the hell was that?" A voice demanded. "She nearly destroyed half my men!"

"That was my mistake. I scared her." A kind voice answered quickly. Bruce, the man who always showed me kindness.

Tears slip out of my eyes again, but they go unnoticed.

"_Scared_ her? Really?! That doesn't seem right, because I don't know, when I'm scared, I don't go on a damn killing spree!" The first voice spat again.

"I do not think she knew what she was doing. Her eyes, they were missing something. They looked so empty, and then quite suddenly, whatever it was missing, returned." A new voice put in. It was _him_, Thor. The alien who I couldn't read the thoughts of.

"Great, we have another uncontrollable science experiment on our hands?" I finally recognized this deep, powerful, angry voice to be Nick Fury's. I heard his footsteps pounding as he left the room in a huff.

There was a long, silent moment.

"Fury's right in one thing, though. What the hell was that?" Tony said, his voice easily identifiable.

"Hey Thor, is that… possible? That in the moment of extreme emotion, she loses herself?" Bruce asked. He sounds so genuinely concerned, I don't know how I doubted them. They aren't like _them_ in the slightest.

"Uh well… coming from you? Yeah. Even I could answer that." Tony replied sarcastically.

"I meant," He paused, sighing dramatically, "Can you identify it? Do you know of an alien species that have mental parts go missing and act like that? Or even read minds, or well- we know you have super strength and hearing and all."

I open my eyes again and they quickly focus this time. I'm back in my room, with the tan walls. I find Thor's face to hear his answer.

With sad eyes, he answered, "Yes, they're great, ruthless warriors when being attacked. But are the kindest souls when they are, in fact, attached. There are all types of other races, with powers you could not even imagine." He added, before looking down at me. His eyes widened a little, surprised to see me awake, and the motion causes everyone else to look down at me.

"Finally decided to join us?" Tony said, a grin easily falling on his face. Silently, I looked at him, and his voice words since Fury left played in my mind. I wondered what he really felt. Then I wondered why I didn't already know what he really felt, or why I wasn't hearing everyone's thoughts. Then I realized it was just me.

_Itwas justme_

"I only hear me." I could only muster a whisper. Excitement laced my heavy-ladened body.

_IonlyhearmeIonlyhearmeIonlyhearme_

Though apparently this was too much for my body to handle. My eyes fluttered shut.

A gentle touch to my left hand broke through the ache. "There are others who read minds. Rings are given to the young ones who cannot control it yet. I have gotten one for you." Thor explained.

"Thank you." I said or mouthed or thought. I wasn't entirely sure what happened before I lost myself in darkness again.

* * *

I can't say whether I dreamed or not, whether I screamed out in my sleep or not, or anything of the sort. Waking up tangled in a thick blanket reminded me immediately where I was. Though I'm not sure I'll ever not wake up all tense, I'll never not have to force my muscles to relax, one by one.

Slowly, I brought myself up, pulling my knees to my chin. I glanced around the tan walls, relief spreading through me. Tan walls. They were like warmth, compared to the cold in the white sterile rooms I grew up in.

I uncovered myself to find I was still in, I tried to think, yesterday's clothes, maybe? I smiled slightly, loving them than I ever thought possible. I got up and made my way to the bathroom. I cleaned myself up and showered, before going back through the bag of clothes I had, and putting on something similar.

I sat back on my bed and inspected my ring. It was thin silver, looking gorgeously pure, and little indents and swirls and curves created an intricate design. I slipped it off and noticed there were letters on the inside. I brought it to my face twirled it around, putting all the letters together.

"Nulla mens lectionem." I read out loud, the words awkward in my mouth. My forehead creased, as I had no idea what it said.

There was a knock at my door and I jumped. I slipped the ring back on, making to get up, as a voice came through my door.

"Evelyn, it's Bruce. Are you… awake?"

I hesitated, fighting between my heart and my brain, but I finally called, "Coming!"

I forced myself to get up and walk to the door. My hand trembled as I opened the door, but I did it. _I did it_.

Bruce's lined face stretched out into a smile. "Well, look at you." The lack of another voice in my head was almost unsettling… it's been so long since it was just me.

It was quite suddenly my mind pulled me into a memory and my eyes weren't seeing Bruce anymore.

_My lungs were full of burning air. I thrashed around, gasping for breath, but I was belted to the operating table. The room was a misty white, as it wasn't smoke that filled my body. _

_They finally received most alien ingredient yet. Sure, super strength and hearing was cool and all, but that's typical, and rather outdated now. They were so excited, when the jar came in. It looked beautiful then, the soul. The jar was filled with black essence, the soul any visible because of it. It was an odd thing, it was clear but shimmery. It took my breath away. I cursed it now. _

_I'm not sure if they expected, but it was more like they didn't care, that it didn't want to be in me. It wasn't working as it suppose to, and that was when they released the toxic air. _

I blinked to found Bruce holding me. He was looking deep in my eyes, concerned about whatever as going on down in there. I broke away from his intense gaze.

"Are you all right? You look like you were going to collapse."

"Yeah." I croaked, my lungs burning with the flashback.

"What… happened?" He asked, hesitantly. His grip on me tightened slightly, as if I might try to break away.

I bit my lip. "Memories. It's like I'm there again." I finally admitted.

"You're surely not here. Your eyes…" Bruce shook his head, and I thought I saw horror in his eyes, but he blinked and it disappeared.

Nonetheless, I pulled away. "I'm fine." Avoiding his eyes, I stared at my bare feet.

He gave his head a shake again. "I just came by to see how you were. To answer some questions you might have," He paused a second, "and discuss some things."

My dark eyes were drawn back up to his, mine wide.

"I won't make _you_ answer anything, but we definitely have some questions." Bruce added.

I pursed my lips, feeling resigned. "I'll try."


End file.
